Today’s Patent – Heat Pump for a Vehicle

The said invention (US12017509B2) was invented by Rachael Shey, Jeffrey Paul Brown, Loren John Lohmeyer, Manfred Koberstein, patented by USPTO on 14-12-2021. Currently, it stands assigned to Ford Global Technologies LLC.

The present disclosure generally relates to a heat pump. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a heat pump for a vehicle. Heat pumps have been employed in vehicles. A refrigerant loop can be included in such heat pumps.

A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes an accumulator having an inlet and an outlet, a compressor, a first heat exchanger, and a first coupling point. The compressor includes a low-pressure inlet and an outlet. The low-pressure inlet is downstream of the outlet of the accumulator. The first heat exchanger includes an inlet and an outlet. The first coupling point is positioned immediately downstream of the outlet of the accumulator and immediately upstream of the low-pressure inlet of the compressor. The first coupling point is immediately downstream of the outlet of the first heat exchanger such that a first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop is directed to the low-pressure inlet of the compressor upon exiting the outlet of the first heat exchanger.